Can someone explain something to me? Why does Darvish seem so adamantly against eventually coming over to the States to play ball? Is it a positive reason, like he doesn't want to abandon NPB?

In the ESPN article about him last year, the writer implied that he was wary of playing in the Major Leagues because of the anti-Iranian sentiment here in the US. If that's the reason, that just seems plainly ignorant. Sure, our Government has its fair share of policy disputes with Iran, but there's a pretty healthy Iranian-American community in several states, and I certainly wouldn't call them a hated minority by any stretch of the imagination.

I figure this is as good as place as any to seed the meme:

Pablo Sandoval's new nickname "Fat Ichiro" (from someone on McCoveychronicles).

I'd buy a shirt, but that'd guarentee him hitting .270.

there's a pretty healthy Iranian-American community in several states

Like in Dearborn, Michigan, about 10 minutes drive from Comerica Park.

Darvish's wife is hot, and age appropriate!

Can someone explain something to me? Why does Darvish seem so adamantly against eventually coming over to the States to play ball? Is it a positive reason, like he doesn't want to abandon NPB?

In the ESPN article about him last year, the writer implied that he was wary of playing in the Major Leagues because of the anti-Iranian sentiment here in the US. If that's the reason, that just seems plainly ignorant. Sure, our Government has its fair share of policy disputes with Iran, but there's a pretty healthy Iranian-American community in several states, and I certainly wouldn't call them a hated minority by any stretch of the imagination.

As I understand it, Darvish's father, an Iranian, actually studied in America, likes it, and has talked about his son going over to MLB. So I don't think anti-Iranian sentiment is a big factor. According to a TV interview he did, he was bullied a lot as a child for being half-Japanese, so he wishes to show his Japanese-ness as much as possible. He also said it was no fun for Japanese kids if their favorite stars all went to MLB, and that Japan needs some people to stay and play in Japan.

Darvish's wife is hot, and age appropriate!

I would like to see him hold up a pencil drawing of her at a press conference.

Darvish's wife. Big picture involving cleavage, so view at your own discretion.

A publicly expressed reluctance to play in the US may strengthen his bargainning position if he ever gets posted. That may also reduce his posting price, but that's not his concern.

I hope Darvish comes to the US, just so we can call him the Hurling Darvish.

Bless you, CFiJ. Whtever nationality you are, you're a great one.

A publicly expressed reluctance to play in the US may strengthen his bargainning position if he ever gets posted. That may also reduce his posting price, but that's not his concern.

If he desires the biggest possible contract he can get, he'll just bypass the posting system altogether and sign with the majors when he becomes a free agent.

Bless you, CFiJ. Whtever nationality you are, you're a great one.

American, FWIW.

If he desires the biggest possible contract he can get, he'll just bypass the posting system altogether and sign with the majors when he becomes a free agent.

But then he has to wait. If he posts after this season, he gets a 4 year jump on free agency and will maximize his career earnings.

Not necessarily. He's looking at the same amount of time via free agency if he stays in Japan, or he gets posted to the United States.

Not necessarily. He's looking at the same amount of time via free agency if he stays in Japan, or he gets posted to the United States.

But he'll likely get the big contract now, if he gets posted to the US - after all, Dice-K, despite having no real leverage still managed to get 5/$50M (or something similar), which was miles ahead of what he would have got if he stayed in Japan.

Even without free agency, Darvish is looking at something in a similar range from MLB, if he gets posted after next year. In Japan, he'll be lucky to make half of that. Besides, he can always demand a "no arbitration" clause in any MLB contract, much like Matsui did.